Ireland–India trade, education ties in focus during minister Brophy’s visit

New Delhi/Dublin: Ireland’s Minister of State Colm Brophy is visiting India from January 7 to 12 to strengthen bilateral engagement, followed by a short working visit to Abu Dhabi from January 12 to 13, the Irish government said on Thursday. The visit aims to advance cooperation across trade, investment, education, innovation and migration.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Brophy said: “I am delighted to visit India and Abu Dhabi. These visits underline the government’s commitment to international engagement and to strengthening co-operation with key global partners. India, in particular, is a vital partner for Ireland, especially in trade, education and innovation, and I look forward to meeting with senior counterparts to move forward on our shared priorities.”

During his India visit, the minister will visit the Irish Embassy and Visa Office in New Delhi and hold meetings with senior officials from the External Affairs and the Home Affairs ministries. The discussions will focus on trade and investment, legal migration pathways, education links and cooperation on shared priorities at the European Union level.

The visit takes place against the backdrop of a growing economic relationship between the two countries. Two-way trade between Ireland and India has expanded to just over €16 billion over the past decade, an increase of approximately €12.5 billion, with services accounting for the majority of bilateral trade.

Ireland’s engagement with India is guided by government strategies, including the Action Plan for Enhanced Engagement with India, the Action Plan on Market Diversification and Ireland’s Asia-Pacific Strategy. At the EU level, Ireland has welcomed renewed engagement with India, including a planned EU-India Summit later this month and ongoing efforts to conclude a balanced EU-India Free Trade Agreement.